


The Chosen Traits of a King

by MoralCode



Category: Magi: The Labyrinth of Magic
Genre: Character Study, Drabble Sequence, Gen, No Slash, Spoilers
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-05-01
Updated: 2017-05-08
Packaged: 2018-10-26 02:18:27
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,176
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10777398
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MoralCode/pseuds/MoralCode
Summary: Alibaba is Aladdin's friend. When Lord Budel scorned his dreams and honor, Alibaba didn't reach his breaking point, but when the lives of the two young slave girls, Morgiana and Mina, were endangered, he flew into a rage and punched Lord Budel in the face. Aladdin began to like him more and more then. By the time they cleared the dungeon, Aladdin had already chosen Alibaba as his King's Candidate. He says he appreciates Alibaba's bravery, but is that the only factor Aladdin considered when he chose his king? Why did he reject so many suitable candidates?





	1. Humility

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: I do not own Magi.

Alibaba

Aladdin chose Alibaba for his humility. The wisdom of Solomon forcibly bestowed upon Aladdin explained in great detail that the world desired one king, and one king only, and that resisting this fate was an insurmountable sin. Honestly, Aladdin felt sucker punched, being told what to think before he could understand the issue at all. After that, he had spent years, unimaginably long hours, studying in his library, and formed his own opinion: the world was far too complicated to be ruled by one man. To think otherwise was pure megalomania.

Alibaba was full of pride. He hated to be talked down to, and he hated his impoverished lifestyle. He was a prince of Balbadd, after all, and had grown quite used to the comforts of the palace. Alibaba’s greediness had repelled Aladdin at first, until he realized that it was only a means to an end. The guarded way he muttered about wanting to buy a country revealed his most fervent dream.

The first time Aladdin saw Alibaba stomp down his own pride and turn to Budel, the scummy slave master whom had recently acquired Alibaba’s reluctant services, with a broad smile and a sycophantic phrase, Aladdin realized what trait he desired most in his king. He recognized it there in Alibaba: humility. Alibaba would never let his pride prevent him from achieving his goals. 

Throughout their journeys, Aladdin became more confident of his choice, as Alibaba proved himself again and again. He allowed Jamil to believe he was, perhaps, the lowly tutor of nobility, or some other commoner he could threaten into subservience, long enough to lead Jamil into a trap. Later, even though Cassim appointed him the leader of the Fog Troop only to gain new followers and credibility, he dutifully bore the shame and humiliation a leader of thieves must. Even when the king of Balbadd, his own brother, Ahbmad, laughed him out of the throne room and denied him audience, Alibaba grit his teeth and accepted such ridicule. 

Aladdin had chosen Alibaba as his first King’s Candidate long before he witnessed Alibaba’s unwitting power. Just as a person began to curse fate, Alibaba would appear with an inspiring speech, and the light Rukh would gather in place of the black Rukh. While Olba and his siblings cried, Aladdin wondered if the black Rukh had returned to the natural flow of the world created by Solomon. He doubted it, but it gave him hope.

Indeed, Aladdin chose Alibaba for his humility. Sensitive to his people’s suffering as he was, Alibaba would neglect no one. His humble nature and determination would ensure the cooperation of other nations. Working together, Aladdin and Alibaba would stop the unnatural flow of Rukh created by the abnormalities of the world (and, more specifically, Al Thamen), and return the Rukh of those that died cursing fate to their loved ones. Now, he just needed to find his other King’s Candidates.


	2. Greed

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Clever and cunning are a diabolical duo when overseen by greed.

Sinbad

Aladdin denied Sinbad for his greed. Finding Sinbad nearly naked at the edge of the only oasis for miles, spreading his arms as though to lovingly embrace the first two unaccompanied children to come along, had led Aladdin to believe he was the foulest of degenerates. Learning that he had been so careless as to allow a thief to steal his every possession, from his precious weapons to the clothes off his back, and even his morning breakfast, had, almost unsettlingly, hardly improved Aladdin’s opinion of him. 

Somewhere between arriving at the palace in Balbadd (and the generous welcome he and Morgiana had received for merely knowing Sinbad) and their second confrontation with Alibaba and the Fog Troop, the image of Sinbad as a kind, dependable, worldly adventurer had cemented itself in Aladdin’s mind. He was undeniably skilled in battle, and no less keen of mind. Even King Abhmad respected him, perhaps as much as he respected Ithnan. Supporting Alibaba when Aladdin could not was certainly an appealing trait, too. Aladdin congratulated himself shamelessly for maturing enough to see Sinbadd for the king he was, as those who overcome first impressions tend to do.

Judar had a way of garnering attention. He stole all of Aladdin’s without effort, even unwittingly when Aladdin spotted him amongst the crowd at the palace. The way the Rukh swarmed around him would have been enchanting if it had not been so bewildering. Of course, the Rukh behaved just the same towards him-and only him. They were obviously connected, so when Judal offered his hand in friendship, Aladdin tried to force his hesitance away and accept it. The swift sucker punch to his face ensured he would not hesitate again. Naturally, Judar stole all of his attention during the ensuing fight, so he failed to notice Sinbad’s manipulations until much later.

Sinbad so clearly used Kougyoku’s affections to dissuade her from exacting revenge for her High Priest, and Aladdin felt the burn of something more than shame as he acquiesced, too, but as exhaustion quickly took adrenalin’s place, Aladdin dismissed the issue. It was only when Sinbad knocked Alibaba out with a blow to the neck, delivered to ensure his safety in the oncoming revolution, that Aladdin noticed his methods-and identified his motivation. 

Whenever Alibaba became daunted by some task, as he invariably did, Sinbad would appear with the extra nudge he needed to attempt it. As much as Aladdin hated to admit it, whenever Sinbad was there to witness it, Alibaba would fail. Then Sinbad would step in like a concerned father, and smooth the situation over. 

The night Sinbad met the leaders of the Fog Troop head on, he goaded Alibaba into a fight with him. Clueless as to how Amon’s powers worked, Alibaba lost in record time, but rather than assert his victory, Sinbad admonished him. Without losing a bit of his fatherly demeanor, he forced Alibaba to acknowledge his superior combat ability, and, albeit with a minor skirmish that portrayed him as a tragic hero, gained the acceptance of the Fog Troop.

During Alibaba’s disillusive meeting with Abhmad, Sinbad stood regimented while Alibaba howled. After, the members of the Fog Troop called to Alibaba for a report. Before Alibaba could even hesitate, Sinbad stood before them and rallied them once again to their cause. That no one registered this sudden change in leadership should have warned Aladdin of Sinbad’s nature. By the time they reached Sinbad’s ship, Alibaba hanging limply from Masrur’s shoulder, Aladdin thought he understood Sinbad’s dual nature.

Sinbad wanted to rid the world of poverty and war. He could not deny anyone’s plea for aid, after all. That was why he opposed Al Thamen; to cure the world of its Abnormalities. What worried Aladdin was that Sinbad would do anything to achieve his noble goals. That much was apparent from the stories the Eight Generals told of how they entered Sinbad’s service-or his care. Even Ja’far had been manipulated into pledging his life to Sinbad, though he didn’t seem overly concerned about it. As magi, Aladdin could not indulge himself in the same fate.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As always, I would love to hear from all of you. Why do you think Aladdin refused to chose Sinbad as a King's Candidate?

**Author's Note:**

> Hey everyone! I'm trying to post without worrying too much about the quality. Expect more chapters soon. Please feel free to give criticism and/or start an open discussion about the work.


End file.
